15: 1748/49 (63-64)
Artist:
Hudson , Thomas (1701-1779)
Inscribed signature:
To the left of the table leg: “Thudson. Pinxit./ 1749,” as well as an
inscription on the paper lying on the table: “[ME]SSIAH / AN / [OR]ATORIO”
Desciption:
Three quarter length, seated, head slightly turned, looking to the right, right
hand on the hip, left hand is resting on a book containing some sheets of paper and lying on the
table; a sheet of paper on the table on which is written “MESSIAH AN ORATORIO,” although only part
of the title page is visible; wig, long neck scarf, white ruffles at the wrists, vest with five
visible silver buttons; a coat decorated with a double row of braid, including the sleeves, and a
single row of braid at the collar; the inner row of braid shows 21 silver buttons, the outer row is
decorated with a leaf motive in silver.
Type and material: H x W cm:
Oil on canvas: 121 x 100.5
Date:
1748/49
Comments:
Thomas Hudson was famous for the accurate depiction of his subjects. This is the
most representative of the Handel portraits. It shows him in the pose of a statesman with the score
of his most famous work, the Messiah. Chrysander, AMZ 1869, p. 126-127: “I sold the original
Handel portrait by Hudson during these days on behalf of the owner, Dr. (med.) Senff from Calbe a.
d. Saale to Friends of the Arts in Hamburg for the sum of four hundred Thaler. …The … friends of
music have the intention of acquiring the work for Hamburg through contributions and to combine it
with the collection of original writings by Handel owned by the city.”
Sources and illustrations:
Simon, pp. 43-44 ; Kerslake, pp. 120-132 ; Chrysander, F.:
Händels Originalporträt von Hudson. - In: AMZ 4(1869), pp. 126-127 ; Förstemann, K. E.: Georg
Friedrich Händels Stammbaum. - Leipzig, 1844, p. 12 ; Smith 3, 28 ; Händel und Hamburg :
Ausstellung anläßlich des 300. Geburtstages von Georg Friedrich Händel ; Staats- und
Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg Carl von Ossietzky 15. Mai bis 29. Juni 1985 / [hrsg. von Hans
Joachim Marx ...]. - Hamburg : Karl Dieter Wagner, 1985. – ill. on book cover, pp. 166-168
Provenance:
Handel is said to have taken the painting with him on the occasion of visiting
his relatives in Halle in 1750. F. Chrysander discovered the portrait in the possession of a
descendent (Dr. Senff of Calbe a. d. Saale) for whom he sold the work in 1869 to the Friends of the
Arts of Hamburg for 400 Thaler. The latter gave it to the Hamburg Library in 1875.
Owner:
State and University Library, Hamburg
